New Balanced Head Amp

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cryoparts

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #20 on: 14 Jun 2008, 08:41 pm »
What cans are you using?  Some are very easy to re-terminate balanced. 

I know David (or maybe it was Sword) from Little Dot stated somewhere that an adapter would be available.  If they decide not to make one, I'll look into it and brew one up.

Lee

Thanks for the link guys, I already use a WA6 :) It's just that with LD releasing a balanced tube amp at a pretty reasonable price, I though it may be worth thinking about as an upgrade :)

ecramer

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #21 on: 14 Jun 2008, 08:46 pm »
Dang nab it, Lee you have all the toys  :lol:


This is one of the nicest and affordable tube HP amp I have seen. It's just a shame that it's balanced output only :( Do you know if there are after-market adaptor available for 4 pin Balance to 1/4 single ended?

Will using one of these cable degrade the SQ? 

Hmmm.  It shouldn't be hard to make.  I would imagine it would degrade the sound a little, but not a great amount.

However, the real advantages of using a balanced amp are only realized if using balanced cans. 




don't know about adapters heres there 1/4 single ended amp

http://www.little-tube.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=91&posts=1&start=1

I can vouch for the MKIVSE as I have one.  Very nice for the price!

Peace,

Lee


cryoparts

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #22 on: 14 Jun 2008, 08:52 pm »
Dang nab it, Lee you have all the toys  :lol:

No, Dan has all the cool toys!   :green:

The MKIVSE is really a nice piece, and with a couple of small upgrades, it really sings.

Lee

cryoparts

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #23 on: 14 Jun 2008, 08:55 pm »
Thanks for the link guys, I already use a WA6 :) It's just that with LD releasing a balanced tube amp at a pretty reasonable price, I though it may be worth thinking about as an upgrade :)

The WA6 is really nice, people tell me.  I have talked with Jack and he is a really nice guy, and seems very dedicated to building a great product.  The workmanship, at least in the pictures I've seen, is top-notch.  I'm going to try and get a Woo one of these days.

Peace,

Lee

ecramer

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #24 on: 14 Jun 2008, 10:08 pm »
I keep waffleing about a tube head amp I want one but i don't use my gilmore lite or my Head-five all that much so i keep looking.  that balanced am,p a used pair of dt 990s a quick trip to cryoparts for s little rewire job  :peek: might just be the ticket

ed

cryoparts

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #25 on: 14 Jun 2008, 11:23 pm »
I keep waffleing about a tube head amp I want one but i don't use my gilmore lite or my Head-five all that much so i keep looking.  that balanced am,p a used pair of dt 990s a quick trip to cryoparts for s little rewire job  :peek: might just be the ticket

ed

Do you have the Glimore Lite from HeadAmp?   You should post some pics of your amps, I'd like to see them!

That guy from CryoParts generally doesn't rewire headphones for others, but his arm might be able to be twisted (as soon as he is done finalizing the mods to the Zhaolu D3 he is currently working on).  Especially, if there was an interesting trade involved with an amp, or two, that he hasn't tried.    :wink:

Lee

ecramer

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #26 on: 15 Jun 2008, 02:25 am »


Gilmore Lite with DPS


G lite and sony ps1 DT880's



Head Five #19


Pick up the PS1 for a $1 at our church rummage sale

pbrstreetgang

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #27 on: 15 Jun 2008, 02:38 am »
Im sorry I just cant get the PS1 thing. After seeing the measurements in SP (which were awful) I know why, but I stil dont hear what some audiophiles I respect hear. Is unit to unit differences to blame? I picked one up and have heard two others in systems

cryoparts

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #28 on: 15 Jun 2008, 03:19 am »
Nice!  Thank you!

Lee



Gilmore Lite with DPS


G lite and sony ps1 DT880's



Head Five #19


Pick up the PS1 for a $1 at our church rummage sale

ecramer

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #29 on: 15 Jun 2008, 03:35 am »
Im sorry I just cant get the PS1 thing. After seeing the measurements in SP (which were awful) I know why, but I stil dont hear what some audiophiles I respect hear. Is unit to unit differences to blame? I picked one up and have heard two others in systems

I don't really have a clue either but my spare cdp a Consonance cd-120 wont fit on that shelf.  :lol: The only good  :dunno: ps1 i read is model SCPH-1001, the first one, after that they changed the dac to a cheaper model and the sound went down hill i figured for a dollar i could not go to wrong Is it the best thing i ever heard no sooner or later i get tired of that setup and move the gilmore back over to the main rig  on the better cdp

Ed

PurplePanties

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #30 on: 15 Jun 2008, 08:37 am »




Head Five #19



Pick up the PS1 for a $1 at our church rummage sale

Hey, I have one of those Head Five myself - I'm the original owner. It's a great little amp, works really well with my DT770/80 :)

PurplePanties

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #31 on: 15 Jun 2008, 08:41 am »
What cans are you using?  Some are very easy to re-terminate balanced. 


Mostly Beyers with a couple of IEMs and a pair of AKG701 :)

ecramer

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #32 on: 15 Jun 2008, 02:01 pm »
The Head5 is a nice little amp i think the Gilmore is the better of the two but that is subjective I was spending a lot of time over at headf-fi at the time these came out but i started concentrating on my 2 ch rig and missed the whole head-6 thing :cry: guess i will have to pick up a used one some time.




Head Five #19



Pick up the PS1 for a $1 at our church rummage sale

Hey, I have one of those Head Five myself - I'm the original owner. It's a great little amp, works really well with my DT770/80 :)

PurplePanties

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #33 on: 22 Jun 2008, 12:00 pm »
The Head5 is a nice little amp i think the Gilmore is the better of the two but that is subjective I was spending a lot of time over at headf-fi at the time these came out but i started concentrating on my 2 ch rig and missed the whole head-6 thing :cry: guess i will have to pick up a used one some time.

I've never listened to the Gilmore but isn't it a lot more expensive than the Head5? If I recall, the Head5 was an entry amp from the Meier-Audio range while the Gilmore is more mid-level at HeadAmp...

ecramer

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Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #34 on: 22 Jun 2008, 12:24 pm »
That's a pretty fair assessment, The Head5 was built by Meier Audio to celebrate Head-fi's fifth anniversary  definitely built to a price point, about $250 or $225 can't remember right now not to say it is not a good amp.  The Gilmore will run you $700 with the power supply which imho is worth every cent. Way more dynamic with the dps.

ED

The Head5 is a nice little amp i think the Gilmore is the better of the two but that is subjective I was spending a lot of time over at Head-fi at the time these came out but i started concentrating on my 2 ch rig and missed the whole head-6 thing :cry: guess i will have to pick up a used one some time.

I've never listened to the Gilmore but isn't it a lot more expensive than the Head5? If I recall, the Head5 was an entry amp from the Meier-Audio range while the Gilmore is more mid-level at HeadAmp...

cryoparts

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #35 on: 22 Jun 2008, 06:35 pm »
What cans are you using?  Some are very easy to re-terminate balanced. 


Mostly Beyers with a couple of IEMs and a pair of AKG701 :)

My bet is that the 701's would sound pretty sweet balanced.  Search head-fi, I'm sure someone over there had done it. 

Lee

santacore

Re: New Balanced Head Amp
« Reply #36 on: 23 Jun 2008, 12:47 am »
I've heard balanced K701's at a meet and thought they sound great. In fact if/when I get a balanced amp I'll be converting my pair over to balanced.

As for the Head5/Gilmore comparison, I would recommend saving your money for the Gilmore. Either that or pick up a Little Dot or a Woo audio unit. I bought the Head5 when it came out and it was fine for the money but it wasn't something that I would consider a keeper.